A Pause
There’s something about the hum of a dishwasher that I love. The sound murmurs, “Done for the evening.” What needs to be washed for the night is being taken care of; no need for me to worry about it until the morning.
The rest of the kitchen is quiet at the moment. One of the lights has been turned out already–the cooking is over for now, so the light isn’t needed anymore. Counters are cleared off–it’s no longer evident what I prepared all afternoon.
A glass full of tulips sits on the counter, yellow buds adding a bit of brightness, while the green leaves sag. Even they are tired.
I sit on the couch, only the friendly hum of the dishwasher and the tapping of computer keys providing background sounds. Soon I’ll publish my slice, close the laptop, and head upstairs to bed.
Right now is a breath, a chance to sit and enjoy the completion of work before the morning comes and the To Do list starts over.
tendingbulbs 
Oh heavenly. You paint a pretty and serene scene. I know exactly what you mean about the song of the dishwasher.
I feel this slice–the tranquility of the humming dishwasher and the winding down of the day.
Such a wise observation! I’ll never hear the dishwasher the same way again.